Discourse Quote by Roland Barthes
““(Love’s atopia, characteristic which causes it to escape all dissertations, would be that *ultimately* it is possible to talk about love only *according to a strict allocutive determination*; whether philosophical, gnomic, lyric, or novelistic, there is always, in the discourse upon love, a person whom one addresses, though this person may have shifted to the condition of a phantom or a creature still to come. No one wants to speak of love unless it is *for* someone.).””
About This Quote
Source Essay: "A Lover's Discourse", 1977
Love is discussed through strict linguistic structures, yet always addressed to an imagined or future person, making it both personal and abstract.
In simple terms: Love talk is always directed at someone, even if imagined.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the personal address in abstract discussions of love.
Themes
love
language
philosophy
Mood
analytical
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- writing about love
- academic seminars
- personal letters
- creative workshops
Key Concepts
allocutive determination
discourse analysis
Questions to Reflect On
- Who are you addressing when you speak of love?
- Does language shape how we experience love?
A Different Perspective
Strict structures can limit emotional spontaneity.
![“That is another theme in the book [Dreams from My Father]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we get the black to see through the eyes of the white? Or the citizen to see through the eyes of the immigrant? Or the straight to see through the eyes of the gay? That has…” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/00d/barack-obama-17_black_that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams_10185.jpg)
